What's this life for?
by Half Baked Destruction
Summary: AU. The great war rages between the nation of Albion and Fuuka. Thanks to this war, many children have been left orphaned, and it seems there is a new victim. Can Nao survive this harsh reality, or with fate get the better of her?


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Disclaimer: I do not own Mai-HiME.

**A/N**: Yet another story I have started. It seems that this is becoming a fad for me. Anyway, hello everyone! Some of you might be anticipating a new chapter for my other stories. Well, I am glad to announce that I am out of the dark and finally writing again. So don't worry your pretty little heads. Now then, onward to the awesome!

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What's this life for!?

Chapter one

The cold; the lost

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"_This story is quite a sad one, yes. A story of a lost little girl, thrown into the cold harness of reality. This girl is me." A female voice softly echoed through the small living room._

"_I can't believe it's already been three years." The girl said to herself. It was high noon in the great Fuuka nation, and the sunlight peered through the partially opened curtains. A redheaded girl sat on black leather sofa, fiddling around with a fragment of a bright green emerald connected to a chain which looped around her slender neck._

"_If it wasn't for him, not for Onii-chan that is, I might have ended up dead in a gutter like all the others before me." The girl tilted her head back and analyzed her white ceiling. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breathe, then exhaled._

"_About eight years ago, a war broke out between the two greatest nations in the land. The nation of Albion, a large mass of land in the west. Then there was Fuuka, to the east. Their feud was over the dumbest thing imaginable. Over a strip of land that laid in the ocean that separated the great nations." The girls eyes slowly reopened._

"_My father died in the war when I was six, though I barely knew him. He was a very busy person, and so he found that his work was more important then his family." Releasing a sigh that was built up in the girls chest, she gently laid down on the pillow that laid to her right._

"_Five years later, my mother was sent out on a business trip. That's when my life hit the gutter."

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_

The sound of water splashing across the ground echoed throughout a small rickety shake. Rain poured heavily on the outside, causing leaks in the fairly old driftwood that served as a ceiling.

Huddled together for warmth in the back of this little shack were nine orphan children. The war that raged between the nations had produced many orphaned children. A lot of the orphanages in Fuuka city were pretty cramped up, making many children fend for themselves. Some have even collect into small families, built shelter with whatever they could get a hold of and took care of one another.

A crackling slap echoed throughout the skies above the little shack. Soft whimpers could be heard from some of the much younger children.

"It's okay Nina, it's just thunder." A brown ruffle headed boy said with a weak smile to a seven year old blonde girl. "I don't like this. I wanna go home to mommy, Jacob!" The girl cried out as she clung onto her older brother.

Jacobs expression drooped. "You know we can't do that Nina. Mommy's with daddy now." The little boys voice began to crack.

Another violent slap of thunder echoed through the skies, causing the children to flinch. Yet there was one child that stood out from all the rest. A little eleven year old redhead sat on the other side of the room with her head buried in her lap.

Jacob looked over in the girls direction. "Oi, Nao. Why don't you come over here with us. You seem pretty cold." The boy received no response. "Let her be, Jacob. Let her live in denial." A green headed girl on the other side of the bunch said. "Oi, Tomoe! That's not nice." Jacob retorted in defense of the other girl. "…You'll see." A weak voice was heard from the other side of the shack. "You'll all see! My mama's not dead. She'll come back!" Nao swung her right arm out in a fit of emotion while tears began to stream down her cheeks.

The other children just sat their and gave her a look of pity. Nao then regained her composer and went back into her original state.

Hours passed by and the storm settled. The orange light from the sun set cascaded across the city. Many of the children of the little shack went out to play with some of the other young orphan children. The shack was positioned by the river that ran through the large city, just outside of all the roads.

"This is bogus!" Jacob let out an irritated grunt and kick a small bucket the he just brought in from the river. All the came out of it was a leaf, a pebble and a Mino. "All this time and barely anything. God, why the hell didn't that storm throw us some winners?" The boy asked no one in particular as he picked up the pitiful looking fish off of the ground.

Nao and Tomoe sat on the sidelines as they watched Jacob's little tantrum. "Wow Jacob. You're even ore pathetic then I gave you credit for. And here I thought you would be a good provider for this family, but I guess my assumptions were all wrong." Tomoe gave a sly smirk and looked the other direction.

"Hey, screw you! I don't see you doing anything productive! Why don't you get off your ass and start doing girl stuff like knitting or making some dinner!" Jacob threw the Mino as he shouted his retort for the whole world to hear. Sadly, no other person really heard the children's squabble.

"I would love to If you could actually produce the materials for me to work with. God, you're as dense as a freakin' doornail." Tomoe began to stroll away from the shack.

"Hey, where'd you think you're going?" Jacob questioned the other girl. "To go and get something to eat. If you can't gcatch anything then I could at least get a five finger discount on something in the shopping district." Tomoe said as she clasped her palms behind her head.

"Ah. You know what will happen if you get caught. This city isn't very found of rampant orphans and you know that, Tomoe." Jacob protested the girls idea. "Tch. You're pathetic Jacob. Be a man and grow some balls once in while. I'm outta here." Tomoe then ran off towards the shopping district.

"Damn you." Jacob cursed as he clenched his fists. The boy let his anger subside, then turned on his heel. As he started back to the shack, he noticed that Nao was still standing there, starring out at the river. The suns orange glow reflected off the top of the water, causing a beautiful shimmer.

"Oi." Jacob said in an attempt to grab then girls attention. Nao shifted her attention to the boy. She looked into his brown eyes with a questioning expression.

Jacob gave the girl a warm smile, then looked out to the water with her. "You know, when my mom and dad died in the war, I thought everything was over. Then I realized that I had to take care of my sister. I really never had the luxury of mourning over my parents deaths like many of the other kids." Looking over to Nao, he noticed that she was giving him quite a skeptical look.

Jacob knew this look. It was the look she gave anyone that dared to tell her otherwise. The children only knew each other for a few weeks, but he was the only one that actually got to know each one of the kids.

"My mothers not dead, so I really have nothing to mourn over." Nao started back towards the shack. "Nao!" Jacob shouted in frustration. Nao halted her approach and looked back over at the other child. "You have to stop this. Iy isn't healthy. You and I both know tha-"

"Enough!" Jacob was cut off by Nao's cry. "I don't care what you or the others think. My mother isn't dead. She's a very strong person and I have no reason to cry over someone who has yet to pass on. Leave me alone!" with that, Nao ran into the shack.

"Nao." Jacom let out a sympathetic sigh.

The sun finally set, causing the sky to turn a lovely shade of purple. Many of the street lights in the city began to flicker on. As the light hit the ground, it reflected off of the many puddles of water that surrounded the street lamps. A soft yet ominous wind blew, causing a ripple in the puddles.

"You little shit!" The voice of an old, enraged produce man echoed through a small room. "Please! I'm sorry. I- I won't do it again, I swear. So please, STOP IT!" A battered Tomoe laid in front of the old man. Blood streamed down her face from a gash on her forehead. "Oh, you're damn right you won't do it again." The old man said with a sadistic chuckle. "Little shits like you need to be taught a good lesson."

Tomoe's eyes widened as she looked back up to the man. Tears began flowing as she noticed his approach towards her. "No! Someone please help me!" Her cries for assistance went unheard for the room was pretty sound proof.

The old man took out a whip from his back pocket and cocked his arm back. "No!" Just as Tomoe shielded herself with her arms, she felt the stinging crack of the whip slash through he skin. "Jacob, I'm sorry…" An image of her secret crush flashed before her eyes as the cracks of a whip were heard throughout the room.

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**A/N**: And I believe this is where we shall put a bookmark in it. I hope you guys found this to be an interesting start for this story. Please remember toi drop me a review and give me your thoughts.


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